侠 (xiá) - knight-errant & chivalrous person
侠 · xiá
knight-errant;
chivalrous person;
martial arts hero;
one who champions the cause of justice
knight-errantchivalrous personmartial arts hero
Usage highlights
knightchivalrychivalrous spiritchivalrous herowandering knightfemale knight
Usage & contexts
Examples
- He has a chivalrous spirit (侠义精神).
- The martial arts novel features many wandering knights (游侠).
- She dreams of becoming a female knight-errant (女侠).
- This character embodies the chivalrous code (侠道).
Collocations
- knight-errant(侠客)
- chivalry(侠义)
- chivalrous spirit(侠气)
- chivalrous hero(侠士)
- wandering knight(游侠)
- female knight(女侠)
Idioms
- Chivalrous and courageous(侠肝义胆)
- Chivalrous bones and tender heart(侠骨柔肠)
- Heroic and chivalrous(豪侠尚义)
Cultural background
FAQ- Rooted in Chinese martial arts fiction and historical accounts of righteous warriors who defended the weak.
- The concept of 'xia' (侠) represents an ideal of personal justice outside official legal systems.
- Popularized through wuxia (武侠) literature and films, becoming a cornerstone of Chinese popular culture.